Chapter 5

　　CRYSTAL POV

　　I stared at the closed door long after I left Ryan's office, my heartbeat still uneven, my skin pickled like it hadn't fully caught up with what just happened.

　　I didn't know whether I was angry, ashamed, or terrified. Maybe all three.

　　I checked the map on my phone twice searching for the hostel as I walked, forcing myself to breathe normally. The academy grounds were massive, unfamiliar, and far too quiet for a place meant to house hundreds of wolves.

　　When I finally spotted the hostel, it stood out immediately.

　　It was a large yellow building, taller than the others, its windows dark despite the early hour.

　　This should be it, I told myself, though unease curled in my stomach.

　　The doors opened without resistance.

　　The moment I stepped inside, the air changed.

　　It was colder. The hallways were too empty, no single student was insight, it looked like they all vanished.

　　I slowed my footsteps.

　　"Shit," I whispered. "This is wrong."

　　I turned back immediately about to run out, but the door didn't move. I pulled harder still nothing.

　　Panic took over me instantly as I slammed my palm against the metal, the sound ringing far too loud in the empty corridor.

　　It was locked, my chest tightened painfully.

　　It's your first day, I told myself frantically. You haven't even done anything yet. So why did it already feel like the academy had decided where I belonged? Why would someone pick on me on my first day?

　　I pressed my forehead to the door, blinking hard.

　　"Who would lock this?" I whispered, my voice shaking. "Isn't this supposed to be the female hostel?"

　　A slow clap echoed behind me, first, followed by another.

　　The sound echoed through the quiet hallway

　　I froze instantly.

　　My breath hitched as I turned around slowly, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

　　A girl leaned against the staircase railing at the far end of the hall. I hadn't heard her approach. I hadn't even sensed her presence, and that terrified me more than the locked door.

　　She was tall, dressed in the academy uniform same as mine. Her dark hair fell sleek down her back, and her eyes… her eyes were sharp, cold, and unmistakably assessing me like prey.

　　And I recognised her instantly.

　　It was Tara, the last girl I fought with that got me expelled from my previous school. But one question kept ringing in my ear. How was she able to get here? Was she also expelled and sent here?

　　"Are you stalking me?" I asked.

　　"Well," she drawled, pushing herself upright. "You're either very brave… or very stupid dear Crystal." She muttered walking closer to me.

　　I took a step back in fear.

　　"What happened to our fierce Crystal? Just a day at the academy and here you are cowering in fear at the sight of me?"

　　Her smile widened when I didn't answer immediately.

　　"Oh?" Tara tilted her head, clearly enjoying my silence. "Did the academy knock the fight out of you already?"

　　"I'm not afraid of you," I said, even though my voice betrayed me.

　　She laughed. A soft, mocking sound. "You've always been terrible at lying, Crystal."

　　She stopped a few steps away from me, close enough that I could see the faint scar near her eyebrow, the one I gave her during our last fight. My fingers twitched at the memory.

　　"You ruined my life," she continued calmly. "Do you have any idea how humiliating it was to be dragged out of that school in front of everyone. How I was also blamed for bullying and also getting expelled?"

　　My chest tightened. "You attacked me first." I replied instantly. "You keep speaking ill about me."

　　"That's because you doesn't deserve to be near normal wolves like us," she snapped, her eyes turning red. Then just as quickly, she smoothed her expression, returning to that lazy, cruel calmness.

　　"But don't worry," she said lightly. "Fate has a funny way of fixing things."

　　My chest heaved in realization. "You planned this."

　　She didn't deny it, that gave me the answer already. My heart beats faster. "So you locked me in?"

　　"Of course," she replied. "I wanted our reunion to be… private. So tell me," she said walking closer, "do you love it?"

　　I ignored her anyway. I glanced around, the empty hall, then my eyes caught sight of a medium sign sign board, written there was Girls senior hostel.

　　"This is the senior hostel," I said slowly. "We shouldn't even be here if we're a first-year student?"

　　"Oh, you noticed," she said. "Took you long enough."

　　My eyes stayed glued to the sign.

　　Girls Senior Hostel.

　　"This place isn't for us," I whispered again in fear. my voice barely steady.

　　Tara's smile widened slowly, like she enjoyed the fear written all over me.

　　"Exactly."

　　I backed away from her instinctively, my shoulder brushing the cold wall. "Open the door," I said. "This isn't funny."

　　"Oh, Crystal," she sighed, a mocking sympathy dripping from every syllable. "You never did understand how places like this work."

　　She gestured lazily around us. "This is the senior hostel, it has restricted access. Only powerful and senior wolves stays here. They have to right to punish by passer."

　　My heart slammed harder.

　　"What happens if something goes wrong here?" she continued lightly. "Who do you think they'll blame?"

　　I clenched my fists. "You."

　　She laughed. "Me?" She shook her head. "I'm just another student who wandered somewhere she shouldn't have. But you?" Her eyes gleamed with pride. "You're already the whispers of the Academy, most people here feel something off about you already."

　　I lunged for the door again, slamming my shoulder into it. I held my held in pain, the door didn't budge.

　　"Stop," Tara snapped suddenly, her calm fading instantly. "You're not getting out."

　　"Why are you doing this?" I shouted, spinning to face her. "You already ruined my life once. Isn't that enough?"

　　Her expression twisted then. Not in a playful way, but in amusement.

　　"You don't get to say that," she hissed, stepping closer. "You don't get to walk away while I lose everything."

　　"You chose to bully me," I shot back. "You chose to corner me, humiliate me, you make others bully me, you provoke me until I reacted, now you're blaming me for that?"

　　"And you chose to fight back," she said coldly. "You chose to make me look weak. You made me bleed in front of everyone, now watch me make you bleed."

　　Her eyes flashed red again, her wolf pushing close to the surface now. The air shifted. I shifted back in fear.

　　I thought this academy suppresses the wolf of it's students? How was Tara almost able to summon hers?

　　"I didn't come here just to scare you," she admitted quietly. "I came to finish it."

　　My breath hitched.

　　Before I could react, the lights began to blink.

　　Then the hall suddenly turned dark.

　　A sharp gasp escaped me. "What did you do?"

　　Tara's laugh echoed, distorted in the dark. "Relax, emergency lock protocol."

　　I wanted to fight, to lunge at her, but strangely I felt weak. It felt like I was tired down. While Tara on the other hand let out a sharp piercing growl.

　　"How?" I asked in fear.

　　"There's a lot you don't know about this academy," Tara said, her voice dropping as she moved closer to me. "When you have the backing of someone powerful, nothing is impossible."

　　I backed away until my spine hit the wall.

　　My legs felt weak, like something unseen was weighing them down, pinning me in place.

　　Her eyes glowed faintly red. She smiled slowly, baring her teeth, and they were changing.

　　Not fully, not yet, but I saw it. The sharp edge forming, the way her canines lengthened just enough to make my stomach drop.

　　My breath came out in a broken gasp. "Tara… stop."

　　She tilted her head, studying me like she was deciding where to strike.

　　"You always look like you're about to break," she whispered. "Do you know how satisfying that is?"

　　With that she moved closer, about to pierce me,

　　I screamed.

　　A loud click echoed through the hallway.

　　The lights came back on all at once, harshly.

　　"Tara."

　　A calm voice called. Tara froze inches from me, her teeth still half-shifted, her breath hot against my cheek.

　　We both turned.

　　A woman stood near the staircase, one hand resting on the railing like she had been there all along. She wore staff attire, it was neat and official, on it was written secretary, her hair were pulled back tightly. Her sharp eyes took in the scene, the locked door, my panicked state, Tara's proximity.

　　"What are you two doing here?" she asked mildly.

　　My heart slammed against my ribs. "She locked..."

　　"Took a wrong turn," Tara cut in smoothly, stepping away from me at once. Her teeth retracted instantly, her eyes returning to normal as if nothing had happened. "We're first-years. We got confused."

　　The woman looked at her. Then she smiled, not at me, but at Tara.

　　It was small, brief, but unmistakable.

　　My stomach twisted.

　　"You know this is the senior hostel," the woman said, her tone gentle now. "You shouldn't be wandering around here."

　　"Yes, ma'am," Tara replied sweetly.

　　I opened my mouth to speak again, but the woman's gaze shifted to me, the warmth it held disappeared instantly, and I fell silent.

　　"Go on," she said, waving a hand toward the exit. "Before you get yourselves into trouble."

　　The door unlocked with a soft click.

　　Relief flooded me so fast my knees nearly gave out. I didn't wait. I rushed past the woman, my shoulder brushing hers.

　　She didn't even look at me.

　　As I reached the doorway, something made me glance back.

　　Tara was still standing there. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled.

　　Her hand was clenched tightly at her side.

　　Then I noticed a small and dark object rested in her palm. Whatever it was, she squeezed it slowly, like she wanted me to see.

　　Like she wanted me to remember what she did, she placed it in the hand of the secretary.

　　A chill ran down my spin, I didn't wait to see more.

　　I ran. But one thought crossed my mind, "Who could be backing Tara? This is her first day here how is that possible?"